SilverSage
New member
- Sep 14, 2013
- 5,937
- 101
- Parrots
- Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Some of you know I rescued 8 baby budgies recently from filthy conditions, and have been hand feeding for the first time. The oldest of the birds was fully feathered, and honestly we should have put him back as he has never accepted the hand feeding forcing us to either force feed or watch him starve. Of course force feeding is NEVER a good idea, so we added seeds to the tank as early as possible and he is now eating seeds entirely, no forcing necessary.
But this bird confuses me. We had initially assumed we had one clutch of three birds, and one of five birds, based on colors and apparent ages. However, the oldest bird already has a dark blue cere. The second oldest bird was ALMOST fully feathered when we got them, and was feathered within 2 days, which would fit the timeline of the oldest "big blue," being about 2 days older. He is tiny and was pulled from a nest box, and still has baby bars down to his cere. He also seems to just now be fledging.
But with the cere this dark, I am wondering if I have an older bird, perhaps approaching his first molt, from a different clutch. Something is clearly off, I either have a 5 or so week old baby with a dark blue cere, or an older bird who developed very very slowly. Any thoughts?
But this bird confuses me. We had initially assumed we had one clutch of three birds, and one of five birds, based on colors and apparent ages. However, the oldest bird already has a dark blue cere. The second oldest bird was ALMOST fully feathered when we got them, and was feathered within 2 days, which would fit the timeline of the oldest "big blue," being about 2 days older. He is tiny and was pulled from a nest box, and still has baby bars down to his cere. He also seems to just now be fledging.
But with the cere this dark, I am wondering if I have an older bird, perhaps approaching his first molt, from a different clutch. Something is clearly off, I either have a 5 or so week old baby with a dark blue cere, or an older bird who developed very very slowly. Any thoughts?
